UFC 333 Aftermath: Volkanovski Sees Oliveira, Yan Targets O'Malley

Alexander Volkanovski and Petr Yan defended their respective belts at UFC 333 on Sunday, securing their positions as featherweight and bantamweight champions. Volkanovski stopped Movsar Evloev in the second round, while Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision to conclude a trilogy. Both fighters indicated interest in immediate high-profile matchups following their victories.

Volkanovski is reportedly interested in facing Charles Oliveira. The fight could take place in 2027 if Oliveira defends his BMF title against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December. Volkanovski, who has lost two of his three UFC bouts at lightweight, sees a fight with Oliveira as a way to legitimize his status as a 155-pound contender. He previously told ESPN in September that he preferred not to jump the line against Justin Gaethje while Arman Tsarukyan remained a challenger.

For Petr Yan, the most likely next opponent is Sean O'Malley. O'Malley holds a controversial victory over Yan from 2022. Since losing to Dvalishvili in 2024 and 2025, O'Malley has won two fights, including a knockout of Aiemann Zahabi. Yan could also face Song Yadong, who holds the strongest case for a title shot after defeating O'Malley in January. However, O'Malley remains the primary target for the bantamweight division's next major event.

Movsar Evloev, who suffered his first professional loss to Volkanovski, is expected to face Pat Sabatini next. Sabatini holds a 9-2 record in the UFC. Evloev stated after the fight that he might try again as a featherweight title challenger, though he will likely serve as a gatekeeper for the division for some time. Steve Garcia is considered a secondary option for Evloev's next bout.

Merab Dvalishvili, coming off his second consecutive loss to Yan, is expected to fight Umar Nurmagomedov. The two have a history, with their first bout at UFC 311 in January 2025 named Fight of the Night. Nurmagomedov is expected to return before Ramadan begins in February. Payton Talbott is another potential opponent for Dvalishvili, offering a test of his current form against a rising prospect.

Aaron Pico, who won a featherweight bout at the event, is being matched with Jean Silva. This fight was suggested after Pico defeated Patricio Pitbull in April. With Diego Lopes moving to lightweight, Silva represents a significant ranking jump for Pico. Youssef Zalal is listed as a wild card option for Pico, offering a matchup between two fighters who have shown high potential without fully realizing it.

The UFC has not announced official dates for these fights, but the pairings align with the fighters' stated preferences and the divisional standings. The next major event, UFC 335, is scheduled for December and will feature the Oliveira and Lopes bout.